For A Kiss
by AranthianPrincess
Summary: HP/DM SLASH! AU Draco is being coerced by his father to join the frontlines as a Death Eater, but a surprising show of support turns up where Draco least expects it. COMPLETE!


_A/N: Just a quick drabble I wrote a while ago for my own personal pleasure. I recently decided to post it here after re-reading it and thinking this little scene could be an excellent diving board for a longer fic. So, don't be surprised if this exact scene turns up in another work of mine somewhere down the road._

"It is time, my son. You must come with me and prove your worth. It is time you join us in the fight on the front lines."

Draco stood in conflicted silence. It was near the end of his sixth year at Hogwarts. His father stood before him, his stern gaze pinning the younger Malfoy to the spot, though the entirety of the corridor behind him was open. They had met in the dungeons, the only place either Malfoy felt comfortable enough holding such a loaded conversation.

"Father, I-"

"You will obey me, Draco," his father commanded, for it was a command. Lucius was leaving no room for argument. Still Draco felt conflicted. He knew he should go, but he couldn't force himself to agree.

"Leave him alone, Lucius. I think he's old enough now to make his own decisions without help from you," a disembodied voice said from behind them. But when Draco and his father turned to look, they could see no one.

"Who is there?" Lucius demanded, a wand, not his own because that one was in the Dark Lord's possession, in his hand and pointed down the corridor.

Draco had stepped off to the side, removing himself from his father's line of fire. He did not go for his wand, though. The voice that had spoken up in his defense sounded familiar. It was a calm, confident voice that instinctively made Draco want to gain his attention, just not in a bad way. That was how Draco was able to conceal his surprise when Harry Potter stepped out of thin air to stand before them, wand at the ready but not raised to attack.

"Ah, Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived," Lucius taunted as soon as he had recovered himself. Draco had to restrain himself to keep from revealing a smug smirk. There was one thing he could outperform his father on at least.

"After hearing that title for so many years, it no longer bothers me. Nice try, though," Potter replied, the edge of a smirk twitching at the corners of his mouth.

"This is no business of yours, Mr. Potter. I suggest you leave while you still can."

Draco's head snapped around to stare at his father, surprised beyond measure that Lucius would so blatantly threaten the Gryffindor Golden Boy within the very walls of Hogwarts itself. It was ineffective as far as threats went, too. At least, Potter didn't seem very cowed if his dark chuckle was anything to go by.

"I think it is my business," Potter replied, all serious mien. "You see, Draco is one of my yearmates and in direct danger from the war. As such, he is under my protection."

Draco was shocked and showed it, staring at Potter in open astonishment. Lucius, however, did not seem to be affected by the sudden discovery that Harry Potter harbored some feelings of loyalty and protectiveness toward his son.

"Be that as it may, but Draco is not being directly threatened; therefore, he does not require your heroic protection," Lucius retorted, making sure to sneer obviously on the word 'heroic'.

"Isn't he?" Potter asked, taking a step forward and smirking a bit when Lucius' wandhand twitched nervously. "You were just threatening him with your presence, refusing him his own choice in what could very well be the most important decision of his life. If Draco wants to serve the Dark Lord, let that be his own free choice, not one overbearingly influenced by you. After all, I think Draco's quite capable of making his own decisions."

Then Potter was looking at him expectantly, as if waiting for Draco to agree with him. Or perhaps he was waiting for Draco's choice. That was what Potter had insisted on after all. But this particular opinion of him did not make sense with their fight in the bathroom earlier this year. Shaking his head to clear it, Draco forced himself out of his stupor and asked the obvious question.

"Why do you care about me all of a sudden, Potter?"

Potter turned his attention on him then, emerald gaze intense enough to make Draco's breath catch. "I have always cared when it came to you and Voldemort, Draco, but I believe in allowing everyone a free choice, a chance, so I could do nothing until now. I promise not to interfere. If you want to go to Voldemort of your own free will, then I will walk away and let you. The important thing is that _you_ choose, no one else."

Draco stared at Potter again, once more lost for words. It seemed the Chosen One had that effect on him more and more recently. Potter just stood there, staring back at him with more patience than the dark-haired boy had ever possessed.

"Draco." It was his father this time. Draco turned his head so he could see both Potter and his father. "Don't listen to him. He is nothing but prey for our Lord. Come with me and you will never have to deal with this half-blood ingrate again. Come with me, prove yourself, and you will be given a position in the Dark Lord's inner circle."

Draco nodded to show he had heard and understood his father, then turned to face Potter fully once more. He studied the other boy for a moment, but Potter's stance and expression never wavered. It was as if Potter had nothing but absolute faith in him.

"I know what my father hopes for me should I go with him, but what will you give me, Potter, should I choose to join you?" Draco asked, playing this game like a true Slytherin. He was vaguely surprised when Potter didn't even blink.

"What do you want?"

The blond pretended to study Potter for a moment, sizing him up, but Draco already knew what he wanted. It was related to the reason why he hadn't immediately gone with Lucius when his father had ordered him to. The blond finally realized it was Potter himself keeping Draco immobilized with an internal conflict. Draco wanted Potter. No, he wanted _Harry_, but it was unlikely he would be granted that request. So he settled for the next best thing. The only thing he thought he could persuade Harry into giving him.

"A kiss," the blond told him, head held high and confident. Harry just looked at him curiously for a moment before Draco clarified his request. "From you."

Harry cocked his head to the side, the perfect picture of confused innocence. He seemed to mull it over for a moment. Though, to his credit, Harry didn't act like the thought was appalling or ridiculous or that he thought it was disgusting. He simply looked like he was trying to figure out why Draco would want that in particular. The blond could tell when Harry finally decided the why didn't matter and reached his decision.

The other boy looked right at him, emerald fire burning through silver mist, and said, "It's yours."

Draco allowed himself to feel surprise for only a second. It was Harry's decision, without persuasion of any kind, to allow him this. And, like the Gryffindor, Draco was not inclined to question the why behind this blessing. He moved forward, first one step, then two, until he was walking steadily toward Harry, stopping half a foot away from him.

"I've weighed the positive and negative consequences and decided I like Harry's offer the best," the blond announced, his voice quiet, but he knew both men with him heard his pronouncement in the silence of the dungeons.

"Draco!" Lucius' shout echoed off the corridor walls. "How dare you! You cannot simply walk away from all that you were raised to be."

The blond was just about to turn around and confront his father when he felt a warm, heavy weight on his shoulder. Harry had placed his hand there, restraining Draco in favor of his own retort. For a moment, Draco wanted to argue, then he saw the fiery anger in those green, green eyes and allowed Harry to fight this battle for him. It would be nice to be on this side of Harry's anger for once.

"He just did, Lucius," Harry all but growled at the elder Malfoy. "He made the decision of his own free will and I will not allow you to force him to change his mind."

Draco's father was turning red in the face, something the Slytherin had never thought he would witness from anyone other than a Weasley. It was surprising, the reaction to this news. Draco would never have guessed his father, Lucius Malfoy, would ever be this upset and angry about anything, let alone what Draco chose to do with his life.

It wasn't that Draco thought his parents didn't care for him, he knew they did, but he thought the family ideal came before Draco as an individual. Perhaps he was right and this was the result, but he couldn't allow the pressure of being a Malfoy to outweigh who he really was and wanted to be. This past year had been an eye-opening experience. Draco knew he did not want to live under the constant stress and fear of performing horrible deeds with the hope that his obedience, skill, and cleverness would continue to be just useful enough to keep him alive, but not so threatening as to necessitate his death. No, that was not the life he wanted for himself. He wanted the hope of freedom and Harry was the only one offering him that choice. So, this was the path he would walk, and, with any luck, Harry would walk by his side.

"Draco. My son, rethink this foolish decision."

"I'm sorry, Father," Draco told a still red-faced Lucius. "This is what I want. Your life is not the one for me."

Lucius straightened, features a stone mask, and strode past them down the corridor. Harry and Draco watched until he disappeared around the corner and his footsteps faded into silence. As soon as he was certain they were alone, the blond turned to Harry, stepping even closer to the slightly shorter boy.

"I believe you made me a promise, Harry," he murmured.

Harry looked at him, a smile curving his lips. "Yes, I seem to remember something along those lines."

Draco waited, growing more impatient as Harry continued to grin cheerfully at him. He was nearly ready to pointedly remind the other of what he was owed when Harry gently brushed a strand of pale blond hair out of his eyes.

He caught his breath, staring into forest green eyes so full of life and mirth. Harry leaned in, hand cupping Draco's cheek as both sets of eyes fluttered closed in anticipation. Then Harry's lips brushed against his. It was a just barely there touch, but it made Draco's heart flip eagerly. Harry pulled away and Draco couldn't help but whimper in protest. A low chuckle met his ears, but Draco quickly forgot about that when Harry pressed his lips even harder against Draco's.

It was a mind-blowing kiss. A slight pressure and gentle suction at first as Harry continued to press further against Draco. A strong arm slid around his waist and pulled him close so he was flush against Harry's body. Draco let out a low moan, pressing eagerly forward into that warmth. Then a wet, tingly sensation brushed across his lower lip. Harry was asking for permission to enter and Draco could think of nothing that he could want now more than to feel Harry's tongue against his own.

With a quiet moan, Draco parted his lips and pressed his tongue against Harry's, both of them whimpering at the contact before Harry slipped his tongue past Draco's lips and began exploring every inch of his mouth. Draco moaned, his arms coming up to wrap around the brunet's shoulders in an effort to steady himself and hold onto reality, but Harry touched a sensitive spot that left Draco reeling.

Finally, they had to separate for air, though Harry kept a strong grip around Draco's waist, his other arm having joined the first sometime during their kiss. Both were breathing hard, Harry deciding to rest his forehead on Draco's shoulder and pant against his neck. The warm breath causing his skin to tingle, a teasing prelude of what could come.

"You're a good kisser, Draco," Harry managed after several minutes of both of them just standing there in the other's embrace.

"I'm even better in the bedroom," Draco replied. Harry pulled back a little to stare at him.

"Is that an offer for a date?" Harry's eyes were huge, glittering emeralds. He looked anxious.

"If you want it to be."

"You, Draco Malfoy, rich, attractive pure-blood, would go out with someone like me?"

It took a moment for Draco to reason out what Harry's objection was. It didn't sound like Harry himself found the thought of dating a boy repugnant. Nor did he seem to dislike Draco in particular or think that he was too good for the blond. Then it hit him. Harry didn't think _he_ was good enough for _Draco_.

"Yes, Harry," Draco murmured into his ear, tightening his arms around Harry's smaller frame. "I would most assuredly go out with you, in private, in public, in front of our friends and schoolmates. I want the whole experience. And I want it with you, the only person who thought even I deserved a taste of freedom."

"Draco..." Harry whimpered, burying his face in Draco's neck and pulling the blond even closer against him.

Draco hugged Harry close, allowing them both a moment to process all the emotion. After several minutes, the blond could no longer take not knowing for certain what Harry's answer was, so he reluctantly broke the silence.

"So, Hogsmeade tomorrow, Harry? I'll buy you a drink at the Three Broomsticks."

"I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall and we can walk down together," Harry replied and Draco could swear that the brunet was smiling into his neck.

"That sounds perfect."


End file.
